Chapter 7

"UNFORGIVABLE!"

Belldandy remained silent as Saturn passed before her chair in the council. Other council members, Kami-sama, and the remaining four Guardians watched and waited. The Guardians all had looks on their faces, very telling looks showing how much they hated Saturn.

Saturn stopped pacing and pointed his finger directly at Belldandy.

"You helped the Guardian Asuka, and the Angel Arael to leave heaven, against THIS council's orders, and arrive on Terra 2."

"Saturn." Anubis said, "You've already asked Belldandy this question. And she has, truthfully mind you, answered it. She had nothing to do with the Guardian or the Angel arriving on Terra 2."

"Guardian Asuka has made it plainly known to all she would not listen to you." Thor pointed out happily to Saturn.

"Besides that," Athena said, "You still have yet to tell us how they left heaven. All the gates remain closed."

"The Guardian Asuka is able to teleport." Saturn said, "As is the Angel."

"The Guardian's still require a gate to be open. Asuka herself tried to teleport, and failed." Thor said, "As to Arael, alarms would sound in Yggdrasil. You should know, you set them to be sure she would stay in place. Or perhaps, you were incompetent when setting them?"

Saturn growled.

"The alarms are still in place." He replied through clenched teeth. "The Angel would require another's help."

"Which brings us back to how someone could teleport with the gates closed."

Saturn pointed his finger at Belldandy.

"She knows who! She must know!" he shouted.

"She already has said she knows nothing." Athena said, "We all know she speaks the truth. No God nor Goddess can lie to us."

Saturn simply stood where he was, glaring at Belldandy. Kami-sama then stood up.

"Regardless how they got to Terra 2, they are there now." He said, "I assume they will join with Keima and help fight off the Rogue Demons." Kami-sama then glanced around. "Has there been any word from Hell?"

"None sir." Thor replied, "Not for almost a day."

"Then we must assume that Hell has fallen under control of the Rogues." Kami-sama said with a sigh, "Institute all measures necessary to protect our systems and cover all the gates. Though closed, they could open at anytime."

"Yes Milord." The council replied.

"This session is closed then." Kami-sama said. He gave Saturn and Belldandy a look, then left.

"Know this." Saturn said to Belldandy, "I will find out how you did it." He then turned and left, followed by the other council members.

"What an ass." Yui said as she, Shinji, Rei, and Touji approached Belldandy.

"Yui." Shinji said with a hint of warning.

"She's right." Belldandy said, looking up. "He is an ass."

"How long do think it will be before he questions Sayoko?" Rei asked.

"I believe Saturn is still trying to figure out how they got to Terra 2 without Yggdrasil noticing." Belldandy replied.

"Also," Touji added with a smile, "the way he's wording his questions, you're able to answer them without the slightest hint of a lie."

"Because I didn't lie." Belldandy said, "I didn't help them leave heaven." She looked carefully at each Guardian. "I would hope none of you will look any further into this."

"Of course we won't." Shinji said, "You think we want to help that ass?"

Everyone looked at him curiously.

"What?" Shinji asked, "My daughter and Belldandy can call him that and I can't?"

"Where is Sayoko?" Rei asked.

"She and Kris are in the archives." Belldandy replied, "To everyone else, they are working on the gate problem, as well as the identity of that girl. But I know that they are really distracting themselves. Between Mana's possible fate, and that Soultaker…….."

"Something else Saturn is unaware of." Touji said.

"But Father does know." Belldandy said.

"What do you think has happened to Mana?" Rei asked.

"If she's alive, she's either in hiding, or in a cell." Belldandy shuddered, "The other option………"

Everyone was quiet for several minutes.

"I hope she's alright." Shinji finally said.

"So do I." Belldandy replied, "So do I."

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"Hello my daughter."

"Momma?" Mana turned to see her mother standing before her, dressed in white.

"Yes, it is me."

"How?" Mana asked, "You….you were dead. They couldn't find you in Heaven……."

"I have always been with you." Her mother said, "I'm so proud of you Mana. You have become a wonderful woman."

"I'm a demon mother." Mana whispered, "I'm the Queen, I've become the monster you feared."

"No." her mother replied, "You are better then that. You have become so much more. I have never been prouder."

"Momma." Mana started towards her mother.

"Our time has passed. You must wake up."

"Momma……"

"Wake up……"

"No Momma…come back…."

"DAMMIT MANA I'M NOT YOUR MOTHER!"

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Mana sat up abruptly. She immediately regretted it.

"Owwww." Mana moaned, reaching around and holding her back. "Son of a bitch."

"That might be tender for awhile."

Mana glanced over to see Welsper sitting beside her.

"Where am I?" Mana asked, "and how did I get here?"

"I pulled you here."

"Where is here?"

"Simply, a cave." Welsper glanced off to the side. "We're along the outer edge of hell."

"You pulled me all the way out here?" Mana asked, surprised, "And no one saw you?"

"There's so much chaos going on." Welsper said with a sigh. "The Rogue pretty much have control. The Soultaker bunch are still fighting, but the Rogues are pretty much crushing them. The Loyal Demons have been driven deep into hell, but the Rogues are still driving them deeper."

"What about Mara?"

"I had the choice of you or her." Welsper said, "I choose you, the Queen."

"Right." Mana sighed and leaned against the wall of the cave, wincing as her back touched the wall. "What happened to me?"

"A beam bounced off your back." Came another voice.

Mana turned her head to the side. Sitting beside her was Sayoko's ghost.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Mana asked.

"Mana?" Welsper asked, confused.

"What else was I going to do?" the ghost replied, "Sit there and count dust particles?"

"Well you've been a real big help so far so at least you'd be useful doing that!"

"MANA!"

"WHAT?" Mana turned and glared at Welsper.

"Who the hell are you talking to?"

"Sayoko if you can believe it." Mana said, "Actually, correction, the future ghost of Sayoko."

"What?"

Mana sighed, "You know that girl that appeared on Terra 2?"

"Yeah?"

"She didn't come alone." Mana glanced at the ghost. "Sayoko's ghost came with."

"Her ghost?"

"Apparently she died, but remained as a ghost." Mana sighed, "You have any idea how it feels, to know your best friend is going to die, but you can't do anything about it?"

"What?" Welsper said, "Ask her. Find out when she……."

"I DID THAT!" Mana cried out, "Don't you think I did that? Hell, I even asked about that kid! But she won't tell me!"

"Why not?"

Mana turned to the ghost. "Well?"

"I'm not going to tell." The ghost replied, "I have my reasons."

"Ughh." Mana groaned, "She won't tell."

"Perhaps it's best then." Welsper said, "You don't want to know too much about the future."

"Near future though is another thing." Mana looked at Welsper, "You have a communicator?"

"No. Don't you?"

"It seems to have been left behind." Mana sighed. "So now I can't contact Sayoko."

"I thought she was here?"

"Not that one the real…..the live one." Mana held her forehead, "Man, this is going to be confusing." She then glanced at the demonic cat. "See if you can find my communicator. It should be in my room. Then use it to keep Heaven up to date on everything."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to try and make it to the lower levels where the Loyals are."

"No you're not."

Mana frowned and looked at the ghost. "I'm not?"

"No." The ghost replied, "You're not."

"Where am I going then?"

"I'll lead you there."

Welsper looked at Mana curiously.

"You know this is confusing only hearing half the conversation." The cat said, "Why can only you see and hear her anyway?"

"I don't know why I'm the only one. She won't tell me that either." Mana glared at the ghost. "It's annoying how cryptic she is." Mana looked back to the cat. "She wants to lead me somewhere."

"Where?"

Mana looked at the ghost.

"It's a surprise." The ghost replied with a smile.

Mana looked back at Welsper.

"A surprise."

Welsper shook her head.

"I'll go try and communicate with Heaven and tell them everything that's happened." Welsper glanced to the spot where the ghost seemed to be. "I won't tell them anything about the spook. If they ask where you are, I'll say you're trying to get rid of the Rogues. I assume that's at least a half truth."

Mana glanced at the ghost and saw her nod slightly.

"Alright." Mana looked at Welsper, "Tell Sayoko I said hi."

"Will do." Welsper turned and hurried out of the cave.

Mana turned and looked at the ghost.

"Well?"

"We have time." The ghost replied, "Rest. The journey is going to be difficult. For you at least."

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"Scary as it sounds, she's right Megami." Keima said, sitting back in the booth, "We do need my mother. Anything I might try will only make it worse."

Megami sighed.

"I hate to admit it," she said, "but this is better then being a straight cat. Nyao." She covered her mouth. "I could do with out the 'Nyaos', and the hairballs though."

Keima chuckled, "Yeah, Asuka did grumble about stepping in one." His face then became more serious. "How are you and Sentaro doing?"

Megami groaned. "There isn't a me and Sentaro. Sentaro won't get past the best friend part. Nyao."

"Well I wouldn't worry too much." Keima said, "It's not like he has a bunch of girls hanging around him. There isn't any competition."

Megami tapped the table and leaned against her arm.

"Actually there might be. Nyao." She said.

"Eh?" Keima looked at her confused.

"Something happened yesterday." Megami said, "He touched someone on the arm and she reacted by blushing. She was acting funny afterward. Nyao."

Keima frowned.

"Somehow I can't picture the Soultaker blushing."

"Not her." Megami replied. She nodded towards another booth. "Nyao." Keima glanced over and saw Arael sitting in front of a large plate of waffles. He never could understand the angel's passion for waffles. Wait a second……

"Arael?" Keima asked.

Megami nodded.

"Arael and Sentaro?"

"Yes."

Keima shook his head.

"Arael has been around since I was born. Hell, she's been around since before mortals walked the earth."

Megami poked at the tabletop.

"Sentaro told me that is father was younger then his mother. Nyao."

"There was extenuating circumstances there." Keima pointed out, "Kensuke was locked in a kind of suspended time for five hundred years."

"Still," Megami said, "She may be what, five hundred thousand years old? Nyao."

"I don't even want to guess her age." Keima said, "Her soul is old, her body is only forty or so."

"She looks twenty."

"Most Gods and Goddesses look like they are in their twenties." Keima said, "Some adjust their appearance to look older or younger. Some change because of stress."

"Like Sentaro's mom." Megami whispered.

"Exactly." Keima replied, "Now I still don't see Arael flipping for Sentaro."

Megami's ears perked up.

"He's coming." She said, "Watch her. Nyao."

Keima frowned, but turned his head so he could see the stairs, as well as the Angel. Arael had just forked up some waffle and was about to take a bit when Sentaro appeared.

"Good morning!" he called out.

Arael actually squeaked and dropped her fork and beloved waffles. Sentaro looked down at silverware laying at his feet and picked it up. He turned and smiled at Arael.

"I'll get you a new one." He said. He then moved behind the counter, tossed the fork into a bin and searched for a new one. Finding one, he brought it back to Arael.

"Here you go." He said. He pressed the fork into her palm, then turned and looked for his own breakfast. Arael looked down at the fork in her hand, and blushed.

Keima stared in shock. First he had never seen Arael drop her waffles on her own. She loved the things too much. Usually if Cherry or Bloodberry had dropped them, Arael would get a very angry glare on her face, like a brutal crime had been committed. Then to top it off, she blushed! Arael, a person he had known since birth, actually blushed.

"Ok." He said, turning back to Megami. "You might be right."

"Who's right?" Asuka asked, sitting down next to Keima with food. "Lime and the other girls are still sleeping." She added to Keima. She then looked back at Megami. "Well?"

"I'm right that I have competition for Sentaro." Megami replied, "Nyao."

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had that boy locked up."

"He can't get over the 'best friend' thing." Keima said.

"Well Megami," Asuka said, taking a sip of orange juice, "I've been around for almost six hundred years now. And I've learned a few things about men."

"Like what?" Megami asked.

"Men are idiots."

Keima rolled his eyes. "Should I be here for this?"

"You're not a man anymore." Asuka replied, "You're a husband."

"Thanks, I think."

Asuka looked at Megami.

"Men are idiots. You can hit on a guy all you want, but they are too dense to realize it. When they do, it might be months or years down the line."

"We aren't all that slow." Keima muttered.

"I already told you." Asuka said, looking at the god, "You aren't a man anymore. Besides, Lime skipped the flirting altogether with that wish."

Asuka looked back at Megami. "Second thing: know your competition. When I was dating Shinji, I knew exactly who to look out for. Rei, Mana, Sayoko, Misato, Sana….."

"Wait." Keima interrupted, "I could understand Mana, and maybe Sayoko, but Rei and Misato?"

"She wasn't always his sister." Asuka replied, "And I'm not too sure what was going on at that apartment before I got there." Asuka looked back at Megami. "So, you said you know who your competition is. Who is it?"

"Arael." Megami and Keima said together.

"WHAT!" Asuka shouted.

Everyone in the restaurant paused and looked at Asuka.

"You alright Auntie?" Sentaro asked.

"Yeah fine." Asuka replied.

Sentaro shrugged and then went back to fixing his breakfast. Arael looked at Asuka quizzically, then returned to her waffles.

Asuka leaned in closer to Keima and Megami.

"Are you serious?"

"Very." Megami replied, "Nyao."

"I saw her blush." Keima added.

"She blushed!" Asuka clenched her teeth, preventing the shout to carry over to the Angel. "Arael doesn't blush! Hell, she's worse then Rei back in Tokyo-3 when it comes to showing emotions. I think the only ones she has shown emotion to are Sayoko, Yui, and maybe Misato. Course in Misato's case it wasn't a good thing: she's scared of Misato. It just couldn't happen. "

"Oh?" Keima turned and looked at Sentaro who was starting towards an empty booth. "Hey Sentaro?"

"Yes Uncle?"

"Would you mind sitting with Arael? We want to keep the other booths as clean as possible."

Sentaro frowned slightly in confusion.

"Ok." He then walked over and asked Arael if he might sit with her. To Asuka's shock, a light blush appeared on Arael's face as she nodded.

"That's…….." Asuka whispered.

"I know." Keima replied.

Megami just stuck her finger in her mouth and gagged.

Arael now seemed very distracted from her waffles. She kept fumbling them as her eyes kept sneaking looks at Sentaro. Sentaro remained entirely oblivious to the entire thing.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day." Asuka muttered, "Cool collected Arael gone loopy with puppy love."

"Hey!" Megami growled.

"Sorry, I forgot you were a dog for a bit." Asuka sighed, "Well, at least you have one thing going for you."

"What's that? Nyao."

"Arael doesn't know how to flirt."

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"They're talking about me."

Arael's fork slipped. She stared at her hand. It had been betraying her a lot lately.

"What?" she asked nervously, looking up at Sentaro.

"Uncle Keima, Auntie Asuka, and Megami are talking about me again."

Arael frowned, "How do you know this?"

"Because everytime I look over there, they are glancing over here." He said, "Asuka's whispering something and the other's whisper back."

"How do you know they are talking about you?" Arael asked softly, "They could be talking about me."

"No offense Arael, but Megami has been trying to get me to go out with her since I met her."

"She has?" Arael asked, giving Sentaro a strange look.

"Yeah. When I was on Earth with Megami and Mom showed up, they talked constantly about me." Sentaro took a sip from his glass. "She was pumping Mom for info on me and Mom was more then happy to share."

They didn't speak for several minutes. Sentaro continued to eat while Arael poked at her waffles.

"About the Soultaker……" she said.

"What about her?"

Arael shifted nervously.

"You should stay away from her."

Sentaro placed his fork down and looked directly at Arael.

"Why?"

"She is a demon." Arael replied, "I knew of her back…….when I was……." Arael shifted nervously. Sentaro understood exactly what she meant.

"You fought her." He said, "Back when all the angels still followed heaven."

Arael only nodded.

"Arael," Sentaro said, "I know she's capable of evil. Mom told me what she did to her. But I also know she has saved me at least twice and tried to help Megami. Mom even told me after she got stuck in Yggdrasil that she had forgiven the Soultaker. Kristine is named after that Demon!"

"I do not trust her." Arael said.

Sentaro shrugged, "It's your right to feel that way."

"Sentaro," Arael said softly, "I'm………."

"What?"

"I'm……" Arael seemed to struggle a moment. "I'm worried for you."

"What for?" Sentaro asked.

"The Soultaker……" Arael began, "she……."

"Well good morning Sentaro. Morning Snowflake."

Arael's face immediately fell into a frown as the Soultaker called her by the hated nickname.

"Do you really want me to keep calling you Soultaker?" Sentaro asked, "I mean it doesn't really roll off the tongue."

"Tell you what." The Soultaker said, "Call me Kay, it's close enough to my real name."

"Alright Kay." Sentaro motioned to one of the empty seats, "Care to join us for breakfast?"

"Don't mind if I…."

Arael was on her feet in a second.

"I'm done." She started to walk away.

"Well alright then Snowflake." The Soultaker said, "More for….."

Suddenly Arael's hand was wrapped around the Soultaker's throat, holding her tightly against the wall. Arael's eyes flared red.

"Do NOT," Arael growled, "call me that!"

"Arael!" Sentaro grabbed the angel's arm.

Arael released the Soultaker, leaving her gasping in the booth. Sentaro lead Arael outside. Only when they were outside and alone did he release her arm.

"Arael," he said, "I know you don't like the Soultaker. Asuka doesn't like the Soultaker. Keima doesn't like the Soultaker. But for now you'll just have to put up with her."

Arael remained silent.

Sentaro sighed. "Mom told me it took a long while for people to trust you. It took Asuka a long time to trust Mana. Heck I don't think Asuka still fully trusts her. Right now the Soultaker seems to be on our side. I'd think we'd like to keep her there."

Arael continued her silence, looking at the ground.

"I know you hate the nickname." Sentaro continued, softly, "I hated the nicknames mom called me. But can you put up with it for now? For me?"

Arael looked up at Sentaro, her eyes wide.

"I shall……try." She said.

"Thank you." Sentaro started back into the restaurant. He paused and glanced back at the Angel. "By the way, I happen to think Snowflakes are very beautiful." He then re-entered the restaurant, leaving behind a heavily blushing Arael.